Want to know what to do with your family? Check out www.visitphoenix.com and www.funtober.com/festivals for ideas for hikes, must see events, exhibits and local festivals.
Moonlight Hikes
Even the most seasoned Phoenix hikers need a reprieve from the sun once in a while. Though the parking lots at most City of Phoenix trailheads close around 7 p.m., the trails are open as late as 11 p.m. So grab a flashlight or slip on a headlamp and hit the trails for a nocturnal hiking experience.
Piestewa Peak Phoenix Mountains Park and Recreational Area
Park Hours: 5 a.m. to 7 p.m. (trails open until 11 p.m.)
Distance: 2.4 miles round trip
Level of Difficulty: Moderate
Average Time: 1.5 to 2 hours
Piestewa is the second-highest peak in Phoenix with an elevation of 2,608 feet – a mere 100 feet shy of Camelback Mountain. This hike will have you working for the views – but they are well worth it. With a total elevation gain of just under 1,200 feet, this trek is a stair-stepping, switchback effort to the top. Once you get there, the views of the Valley are awe-inspiring. Add a sunset or the night lights of the city, and you’ve got a whole new experience.
http://phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/7-best-trails-for-night-hiking-in-metro-phoenix
Flashlight Tours
What critters come alive at night in the desert? Bring a flashlight and find out at the Desert Botanical Garden’s Flashlight Tours, Thursdays and Saturdays in June through early September. You can also join a guide at Usery Mountain Regional Park and San Tan Mountain Regional Park for an Animal Flashlight Tour on select summer nights. Please bring your own flashlight. Flashlights will also be available for purchase in the Garden Shop until 8 p.m. dbg.org/events/flashlight-tours
Scorpion Hunts
We generally try to avoid scorpions and their pincers, but, yes, we’re recommending that you actually go looking for some of these desert dwellers. On select nights through the summer, walk with a ranger through some of the Maricopa County Regional Parks with a flashlight and black light in hand for an educational scorpion hunt. Select the “Animals” category in the summer months on their event calendar to look for Scorpion Scavenger Hunts.
maricopacountyparks.net/events/scorpion-night-hike-wet-n-wild-program/
Summer Art and Architecture Camps
Combining creativity with academic relevance, the Frank Lloyd Wright Foundation’s innovative Summer Art and Architecture Camps give students the opportunity to think and work outside the box. Located at Taliesin West, Wright’s winter home and desert laboratory, the camps will encourage students to explore, create, and design in the significant setting. Students will see how their unique ideas can have a true impact on the world around them, as they engage in the fun and educational activities. franklloydwright.org/for-kids-families/
Moonlight Tours
Arizona is known for its stunning sunsets, but a full moon over the saguaros is also a sight to see. Arizona Territorial Adventures lets you experience both with their Moon Rise Tours. They offer tours two days before, during, and two days after the full moon. Contact them for tour dates and more info. arizonaterritorialadventures.com/moon_rise_tours
Music at MIM
See, hear and even play instruments from every corner of the world in a one-of-a-kind collection.
The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM) tunes you into thousands of instrument sounds with a headset that syncs seamlessly as you move through its galleries. Take a world tour of cultural instruments and pop culture artists, and return for a live music experience at MIM Music Theater, a year-round concert series hosting more than 200 international acts. mim.org
Salt River Tubing
Looking for a cool and wet adventure? We invite you to spend the day or an afternoon tubing the Lower Salt River rapids in beautiful Tonto National Forest near Mesa, Arizona! Just minutes from Phoenix, the Salt River is a recreational paradise that offers “chills and thrills” while floating on cool and refreshing mountain-stream waters. Enjoy a “floating picnic” and experience the natural wonders of the Salt River! You may choose trips that include float time and shuttle bus ride, weather and water flow permitting. saltrivertubing.com
Things to do in the Fall Season in Phoenix
Galaxy Dance Festival
Hosted by the Arizona Biltmore Resort and Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, the Galaxy Dance Festival is a ballroom dance competition. The three-day event takes place on September 14th to 17th, 2017 and features professionals from around the country competing in a range of ballroom styles. Past esteemed judges include Linda Dean, Sam Sodano, John DePalma and Marianne Nicole.
September 14th to 17th, 2017 www.galaxydancefestival.com
Brazilian Day Festival
Join us for a celebration of music, dance, lights, food and fun all wrapped into one amazing day time festival & night time Caranval at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts!
September 23, 2017 www.BrazilianDayArizona.com
Race for the Cure
Join us for a celebration of music, dance, lights, food and fun all wrapped into one amazing day time festival & night time Caranval at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts!
2017 Komen Phoenix Race for the Cure®
October 1, 2017 komenarizona.org/komenarizona-events
Arizona Taco Festival
More than 50 teams take up the taco-making challenge as fans sample and savor their creations. The event is filled with music, food, and fun including, Lucha Libre Wrestling, Hot Chili Pepper Eating Contests, Chihuahua Beauty Pageant, a stage of live music and more. You will have access to more $2 tacos than you’ve ever seen. Many of the taco teams are serving tacos available only at the Taco Festival. Are your stomachs growling yet? aztacofestival.com
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional football team based in Phoenix. They were founded in 1898 in Chicago, Illinois. They currently play at the University of Phoenix Stadium. They have never won a Super Bowl, but have had their stadium host a couple of them, including Super Bowl XLIX in 2015. azcardinals.com
Pre-Season Schedule 2017
Aug 3 5 p.m. Cowboys at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium, Ohio
Aug 12 7 p.m. Raiders
Aug 19 7 p.m. Bears
Aug 26 4 p.m. at Falcons
Aug 31 6 p.m. at Broncos
Regular Season Schedule 2017
Sept. 10 10 a.m. at Detroit Lions
Sept. 17 10 a.m. at Indianapolis Colts
Sept. 25 5:30 p.m. Dallas Cowboys
Oct. 1 1:05 p.m. San Francisco 49ers
Oct. 8 10 a.m. at Philadelphia Eagles
Oct. 15 1:05 p.m. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Oct. 22 10 a.m. at Los Angeles Rams
Nov. 5 2:05 p.m. at San Francisco 49ers
Nov. 9 6:25 p.m. Seattle Seahawks
Nov. 19 11 a.m. at Houston Texans
Nov. 26 2:25 p.m. Jacksonville Jaguars
Dec. 3 2:25 p.m. Los Angeles Rams
Dec. 10 2:05 p.m. Tennessee Titans
Dec. 17 11 a.m. at Washington Redskins
Dec. 24 2:25 p.m. New York Giants
Dec. 31 2:25 p.m. at Seattle Seahawks
